abracad wrote:

The so-called anthropic principle points out how finely tuned the
universe is to support life. However, is there any reason to believe
this is the only universe that exists or ever existed? Or is it likely
or possible that there could be an infinite number of other (less
anthropic) universes that co-exist woth this one or have existed
throughout eternity?

Remove the parts about other universes co-existing simultaneously and
the answers become yes, and yes, "there could be other anthropic
universes that have existed"... (and will exsist).

It is probable that the constants which require intelligent human life
were and will-be carried forth to a higher order in an evolutionary
universe. Like Al says though, there ain't no tellin what that reality
might be at the next level, so there's no guarantee that intelligent
life will be the order of the day to fulfill the same need in the next
universe.

It may however be significant that the evolution of the universe defines
the same process which allows humans to evolve in an entropic universe.

Call it, the "Ratchet Theory" entropy results in greater order on a
universal scale, where high-energy photons convert negative mass, (ghost
particles/virtual particles) into real massive particles at the expense
of increased tension between the vacuum and ordinary matter. This leads
to an evolutionary leap as the universe evolves into a higher order of
entropic efficiency, where a leap results in another big bang which
carries constants that derive the so called, "Anthropic Principle"
perpetually forward through time.

The process of which is speak is proven he

The -1th law
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=is...al.net&rnum=33